Using sound-box as case?

[john keates]

It uccured to me whilst resting the head of my bass against its case for amplification, wishing I had an EUB, that it might be a neat idea to make a bass where the neck is carried around inside the body of the bass.

I started to make drawings and came up with a sketch where the hollow body of the bass is shaped like the neck only bigger so the neck can be carried inside it. When you want to play, you take the neck out and push it onto the top of the case/body (which would have to be smaller than the bottom of the neck of course).

There would have to be some way of securing the neck on pretty tight quickly and there would have to be some way of getting the strings fitted on the neck and going down to the body and all tuned up without too much fuss...

It is one of those ideas that seems so on the edge of possiblity. Has anyone seen anything like this? Any ideas of how it could work? I wouldn't mind trying to make one. It would be so cool getting up on stage with a little box and assembling it into a big EUB.

[Doug Ring]

Sounds like a great idea, but wouldn't any case strong enough to protect a neck and other parts be too thick to resonate properly? And what would you use for hinges and fastenings that didn't rattle?

[john keates]

Well I guess there would be a compromise between strength and resonance. If I were making one, I would tend to go for resonance first (otherwise there would be no point) and then just be carefull with it. I guess a soft case could be used also.

There would still be the advantage that you have a bass that can be compacted down so it is easy to get to gigs.

The opening would be at the bottom so it would't be so big. The neck would slide out length-ways. This means that no hinges would be needed. I am thinking that the bottom might slide off and be attached with some kind of clip.

The neck would sit over the top of the resonator (at the thin end) so the neck pocket is essentialy a hole in the base of the neck. I am thinking that there could be some kind of tapered screw that would go through the neck and into the top of the resonator and wedge the neck in place.

[ii7-V7]

I've thought of this as well, but only in passing. I'm sure that its possible to do, but will there have to be a compromise in sound?

As for the neck joint I would think a wide dovetail joint and one quick turn bolt would do the job. Not sure about the strings but I think that if you take the top off entirely and keep the strings inconnected at the saddle you might be able to make it happen.

But then you would still probably want to have a case anyway...since you don't want the body being bumped around. This was the reason why I haven't thought much more about it.

Chad

[john keates]

If the neck fits snugly into the body then a case wouldn't be so necessary and you would just have to worry about bumps and scrapes (which I don't really mind).

I am thinking that the strings could be attached at the neck in the same way that they are on a headless bass and would be tuned at the bridge.

Maybe the thing that the strings are attached to at the neck end could detatch and be stored on the body with the strings still attached?

There is also the possiblity of having the neck slide out of the top of the body. That way, the strings could still be attached. The body would probably have to be able to open up in some way though which would make it less stable and resonant I guess.

Dunno... There is a lot to think about but it is fun to do so.